


We're Friends?

by pennysparrow



Series: Batgirl & Robin Week 2017 [1]
Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 05:39:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11594064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennysparrow/pseuds/pennysparrow
Summary: What high school would've been like had Babs and Dick's extracurriculars not included masked vigilantism.





	We're Friends?

**Author's Note:**

> Day one of Batgirl and Robin Week on tumblr is No Capes Au!

Dick’s knee was bouncing underneath his desk. He glanced at the clock above the door again, still ten minutes left in the period. He wrinkled his nose in silent frustration and turned his attention back to the ditzy substitute teacher who was still telling his class about her cats. He felt his phone buzz and carefully pulled it out of his pocket to read the text under his desk.

The message was from Babs who, thanks to the miracle of alphabetic seating, was sitting right in front of him. She had an image to uphold as the upstanding, top of the class student which meant they just texted back and forth from under their desks to keep from drawing attention rather than whisper or pass noted back and forth. Dick checked that the sub was still staring at the ceiling tiles as she talked before swiping open the text.

_~I realize that a robotics class isn’t something you can just teach for the day but the least she could do is let us work on our designs. Anything would be more productive than listening about Mr. Tibbles and his tummy aches._

Dick snorted and caught the smirk Babs gave him over her shoulder. They were supposed to be working as partners to design a robot to compete in a demolition derby at the end of the semester. It was why half the kids had even signed up for the class. While he and Barbara both had a genuine interest in robotics and an overly competitive spirit that practically ensured they were going to win. But the extra time wouldn’t hurt.

_~You’re just now complaining about it?_ Dick quickly typed back.

_~I mean… I was maybe kinda sorta finishing an essay that’s due next period…_

_~Barbara Gordon! YOU didn’t do your homework?!_

Babs shot him a glare, the whip of her red hair nearly smacking him in the face as she did so. He gave her a beaming grin and a little wave. She merely rolled her eyes before turning to face front again. Dick waited for her to reply and when she still didn’t he decided to send her another text.

_~I’m sorry… So how’d you finish it? On your phone?_

Dick heard her let out a soft snort at him. She gave a little shake of her head. Seconds later Dick got her reply.

_~Yes actually. Google docs has an app you know. I’m going to run to one of the computer labs and print it right after class, Mr. Smarty Pants. Bet you didn’t know that._

_~Uh… I honestly don’t know how to respond to that… How are you the favorite when you’re secretly an evil genius?_

_~Because I’m an evil genius. Duh._

It was Dick’s turn to snort again, just as the bell rang. Babs grabbed her bag and was the first out of the room, sending him a wink over her shoulder as she reached the door. The sub was just blinking in realization that her forcibly attentive audience was leaving and Dick knew that his best friend was probably halfway to the computer lab by now. He grabbed his own backpack and joined the group leaving the classroom.

The last two periods of the day meant that Dick wouldn’t see her again until after school, if neither of them had one club or another that is. He wandered through the busy hall on his way to physics, allowing himself to be jostled slightly thanks to his small stature. He wandered into the classroom and settled into the chair at his lab table. Pulling out his phone he texted Babs again.

_~I dunno if you’ve still got debate going on but do you want to go to the soda shoppe after school?_

_~Yeah! Meet you at the flagpole. btw I totally handed that paper in just now and Ty has no clue it was just finished. She’s reading it now._

Dick shook his head at his phone and got his notebook out of backpack. They were going to have a long discussion about her procrastinating later. As long as she didn’t realize what a complete and utter hypocrite Dick himself was.

School let out and Dick found himself leaning against the flagpole in front of Gotham Academy. He was texting his friends from summer camp, right after school was the sweet spot for their group chat since he and the other east coasters, Donna and Garth, were all free for the day while in Blue Valley Wally had a study hall and in Star Roy was at lunch. This meant he was zoned out when it came to his surroundings so Babs coming up beside him and bumping her hip against his own scared the crap out of him.

He nearly dropped his phone and narrowed his eyes at Babs. She shrugged and gave him a winning smile. “Talking to your friends who are sooooo much cooler than us Gothamites?”

“Wait! Dick Grayson has friends?! That aren’t us?!” Bette gasped from behind him.

Dick whirled around and glared at her. “Can I help you?” he drawled.

“Nah. I just like teasing you Grayson,” Bette shrugged. Babs was failing in her attempt to not laugh.

Dick gave them a bit of a pout and then pointed between the two of them. “See? This is exactly why I have other friends.”

“Well you crazy kids have fun with your ice cream and nerd gossip. I’ve gotta get to tennis practice,” Bette ruffled Dick’s hair and gave Babs a quick hug before heading off towards the tennis courts behind the gym.

Dick tried to fix his hair and then held out his arm to Babs. “ _Miss_ Gordon?”

“Why _thank_ you _ever_ so much,” Babs linked her arm through his and the two walked off with their heads held high. They got a grand total of half a block before they both started cracking up. “I feel like we’re in Gone with the Wind of Hello Dolly or something,” she said between giggles.

Dick shrugged out of his backpack and Babs slid it over her shoulder. He immediately went into a handstand and began walking on his hands down the sidewalk. People who passed them gave Dick weird looks but he didn’t really care, it’s not like he was ever going to see them again.

“Dick? You know you’re in high school, right? It’s slightly less socially acceptable than when you were about eight and adorable.”

He righted himself only to cross his arms at her whilst walking backwards. “Excuse you? I am _still_ adorable.”

“Uhhhh-huh.”

“See? Watch this.” Dick began to cartwheel and parkour down the sidewalk. Barbara was laughing and he could easily hear her muttered “showoff.”

He was using the back of a bench as a balance beam and decided to turn and walk back along it towards her. She lightly tossed him his backpack and Dick jumped down to actually walk the rest of the way.

“So do you have any big plans for tonight?”

Dick shrugged. “Not really. Alfred and I were going to bake cookies and try and convince Bruce to watch a movie with us. Take a break from WE stuff for once.”

“You know what movie?”

“Nah. I doubt we’re even going to get that far.”

“That… sounds… very depressing,” Babs scrunched her nose up at him.

Dick bumped her with his shoulder. “It’s not a big deal. Bruce is a busy guy and I know that. He tries though and that’s what counts.”

Babs nodded slowly. “You know you’re always welcome at my house? I mean, my dad actually likes you and has finally come to terms with the fact that our relationship is still strictly platonic even with ‘raging teenage hormones’ and whatnot.” Babs made air quotes and rolled her eyes. “Seriously though, you need a night out of that big creepy house just let me know.”

“I know Babs. You’ve been saying that since we were like ten,” he shook his head. “But thanks. Honest.”

Babs threw her arm around his shoulder and Dick tried to do the same but with the height difference he was forced to give up and wrap it around her waist. “You’re short. You sure you’re due for a growth spurt?”

Dick shoved away from her with a laugh. “I hate you Barbara Gordon.”

Babs threw her head back and laughed too. “I hate you too Dick Grayson.”


End file.
